Foot and Ankle Flashcards
Tibial external rotation with DF in closed chain resulting in injury with pain at the distal tibia and fibular is associated with what type of injury?
- syndesmotic injury; high ankle sprain
closed chain eversion injury with pain on the medial ankle/foot is associated with what type of injury?
- eversion injury; medial ankle sprain
What is a large difference with care/precautions following a syndesmotic injury (high ankle sprain) compared to a medial or lateral ankle sprain?
- more conservative WB to allow for healing of the syndesmosis
What are the two subgroups/categories/phases conceptually for the CPG for lateral ankle sprains?
- Acute/protected motion phase
- Progressive loading/sensorimotor training phase
What are the characteristics of the acute/protected motion phase?
Significant edema or pain
w/in ~ 72 hours of injury
limited weight bearing
evidence of overt gait deviations
What are the characteristics of the progressive loading/sensorimotor training phase?
Primary concerns of functional instability
Generally more chronic presentation
What are the two primary ligaments affected by a lateral ankle sprain, and which order are they affected in?
- ATFL first, then CFL
What is the standard mechanism of injury for a lateral ankle sprain?
o Ankle/foot in plantar flexed position, followed by hypersupination at forefoot/midfoot
Other than the ATFL and CFL, what structures can be affected by a lateral ankle sprain? (7)
- posterior TFL
- anterior deltoid ligament
- lateral subtalar ligament
- peroneal retinaculum
- extensor retinaculum
- peroneal tendons
- superficial peroneal nerve
What are the main differential dx in the acute phase of lateral ankle sprain? (6)
Fractures Muscle strains Cuboid syndrome Syndesmosis Subtalar joint sprain Adjacent joint sprains
What are the main differential dx in the post-acute phase of lateral ankle sprain? (6)
…there are a lot more than 6…but these are the first 6 that showed up in the slide
Chronic (functional) ankle instability Accessory ossicles Tarsal coalition Impingement (anterolateral or posterior) Osteochondral lesions Sinus Tarsi Syndrome
What are the Ottawa Ankle Rules for a lateral ankle sprain?
Imaging needed if:
- unable to bear weight for more than 4 steps immediately after the injury or in the ED
- pain with palpation of:
• Malleolar zone or midfoot zone
• Posterior edge or tip of either malleolus
• Navicular
• Styloid px of 5th metatarsal
Functional risk factors for lateral ankle sprain are generally related to what two things?
- general movement habits
- ability to correct in the face of a hypersupination load
What 4 functional risk factors for lateral ankle sprain have level I evidence support?
- abnormal gait mechanics
- impaired postural stability
- impaired proprioception
- impaired NM reaction time
What 3 functional risk factors for lateral ankle sprain have Level II evidence support?
- low aerobic fitness
- deficits in cutaneous sensation
- deficits in nerve conduction velocity
What 2 functional risk factors for lateral ankle sprain have Level IV evidence support?
- low ankle eversion strength
- impaired balance test performance
What 2 structural risk factors for lateral ankle sprain have Level I support?
- foot and ankle morphology
- specific ankle laxity (increased talar supination; talar tilt)
What 6 structural risk factors for lateral ankle sprain have Level II support?
- limited ankle complex ROM
- other morphological characteristics
- general joint laxity
- limb dominance
- Female gender
- specific ankle complex laxity
What 5 extrinsic risk factors for lateral ankle sprain have Level I support?
- Poor environmental conditions/playing surface
- Court or team-based activity or sport
- Use of ankle tape and or/brace (reduce)
- Use of foot orthoses (reduce)
- Warm up including stretching (reduce)
What 5 extrinsic risk factors for lateral ankle sprain have Level II support?
- Level of competition or intensity
- Patient sex; effect on severity of injury
- Preventative efforts and patient education (reduce)
- Appropriate shoe type to playing conditions (reduce)
- Slower self-selected running speed
What are 5 outcome measures that are appropriate during eval to assess function for lateral ankle sprain?
- Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM)
- LEFS
- Ankle Joint Functional Assessment Tool (AJFAT)
- Chronic Ankle Instability Scale (CAIS)
- Sports Ankle Rating Scale (SARS)
What are 3 appropriate outcome measures designed to identify or grade severity with functional ankle instability? (FAI)
Which ones ID, vs grade severity, or both?
- Ankle Instability Instrument: ID and grade severity
- Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool: grade severity
- Functional Ankle Instability Questionnaire: ID
What are the 6 characteristics of a Grade I lateral ankle sprain?
- No loss of function
- No ligamentous laxity
- Little or no hemorrhage
- No point tenderness
- Decreased total ankle motion of 5 degrees or less
- Swelling of 0.5 cm or less
What are the 6 characteristics of a Grade II lateral ankle sprain?
- Some loss of function
- Positive anterior drawer test (ATFL involvement)
- Negative talar tilt test (no CFL involvement)
- Hemorrhaging
- Point tenderness
- Decreased total ankle motion > than 5* but < 10*
- Swelling > 0.5 cm but < 2.0 cm
What are the 6 characteristics of a Grade III lateral ankle sprain?
- Near total loss of function
- Positive anterior drawer and talar tilt tests
- Hemorrhaging
- Extreme point tenderness
- Decreased total ankle motion > 10*
- Swelling > 2.0 cm
How are Grade IIIA and IIIB lateral ankle sprains defined?
- By radiograph
o Grade IIIA: anterior drawer movement of 3 mm or less
o Grade IIIB: anterior drawer movement of > 3 mm
Describe the execution of an anterior drawer test.
- Medially rotate lower leg, hold foot/ankle in 20* plantar flexion and then pull to look for laxity
- Or, put pt supine on a table with their knee bent. Palpate talar head, the posteriorly push the tib/fib, feeling for movement
Describe the execution of the talar tilt test
- assess for laxity with rearfoot inversion
What are 3 considerations when measuring ankle DF ROM in open-chain?
- account for the DF axis of rotation being slightly externally rotated; will have to medially rotate the tibia if using cardinal planes
- Differentiate between gastroc/soleus restrictions, by measuring in prone in knee extension and ~ 45* flexion
- measure from the plantar surface of the fat pad, not the alignment of the 5th met
What are 4 balance assessments from the lateral ankle CPG?
- Balance Error Scoring System (BESS)
- Simple Balance Test (SBT)
- Star excursion balance test
- Y-balance test
Why do the Simple Balance Test?
- there is a relationship between a positive test result and likelihood for ankle sprains
Young women who have > ___ difference between LEs on the Y balance test are ____ more likely to experience a LE injury on the ____ side
Young women who have > 4 cm gross difference between sides are 2.5x more likely to experience a LE injury on the side that is “shorter”
What is a good activity level test for acute lateral ankle sprain?
What % of difference between sides is concerning and why?
- Lateral hop for distance
- ~20% difference between sides is indicative of prolonged disability
What are 4 hop tests that can be used in the post-acute phase for a lateral ankle sprain to assess for activity/participation?
- figure of 8 hop test
- square hop test
- side hop test
- 6 meter crossover hop test
Is manual therapy appropriate for acute ankle sprain? What grade evidence?
- yes; grade B
- multiple manual techniques are appropriate
What is the CPR for manual therapy for an acute ankle sprain? (4)
Navicular drop of 5 mm or > Symptoms worse: • In standing • In the evening Hypomobility of the distal TF joint
What are some appropriate manual techniques noted for lateral ankle sprain? (7)
- active mobilization (muscle energy)
- oscillatory graded procedures
- strain-counterstrain
- manual lymph drainage
- soft tissue mobilization
- joint mobs
- joint manipulations
What is the common goal for manual techniques with lateral ankle sprain?
- improving DF
What are 3 joint manipulations that would be appropriate for lateral ankle sprain?
- long axis traction; bring into DF and quickly pull
- fibular head manip; posteriorly directed w/ knee in full flx
- tarsal whip
Are joint manipulations appropriate for acute lateral ankle sprain?
- nah…not really
What are 4 appropriate exercises for acute rehab of lateral ankle sprain?
- AROM
- seated isometrics
- hip and trunk exercises
- arch lifts
What grade evidence supports exercise-based intervention for lateral ankle sprain rehab in the acute phase?
- Grade A. Do it.
In the post-acute phase of lateral ankle sprain recovery, what is the grade of evidence for support of exercise interventions?
- Grade D (conflicting)
Is WB therex recommended for rehab of lateral ankle sprain in the acute phase?
- NWB has support. WB as tolerated, likely, but doesn’t have the same support as NWB in the literature.